Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 427(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
He nods his head. “Is she—” He looks around. “I’d like to pay for her funeral arrangements. If it hasn’t been done already or if the state isn’t taking care of it. I would like to.”
“We got it,” Nico says, not wanting him to continue. “We’ll get everything set up.” Nico looks at Matthew, who just nods as they walk from the room.
“I’ll give you guys some space,” Max says, getting up. “So proud of you.” He kisses my head.
I watch Max walk out before turning back and looking at Chase. “I sure missed a lot,” he jokes and I laugh for the first time today.
I pick up the letter Monica wrote. “She left a letter to me.” My hand shakes. “Spilling all her secrets. She thanked me,” I say between tears and a smile. “For everything I did for her.” I cry and laugh at the same time. “She wanted to be like me.” I shake my head. “She could have been like me.”
He turns my chair to face him. “You have the best heart I’ve ever seen,” he says, putting my face in his hands. “She knew with you in her corner, anything was possible.” I just smile and he kisses my lips, tasting my tears.
“What is going to happen now, do you know?”
“Well, if Tristan is the father, then he can petition for custody, and since the letter says she never told him, the judge will most likely rule in his favor.” I can’t help but smile. “From what Stuart said, the parents were in it for the payday.” I shake my head. “Not that I’m surprised, but if you take Penelope out of it, their case against me is very weak,” I say.
“Can we get out of here?” I ask him and stand. He stands, looking down at me, his eyes shining.
“I’ll take you wherever you want to go,” he says without skipping a beat, slipping his hand in mine. “Anywhere with you.” He brings our hands up to his mouth, kissing my fingers. “Oh, you won’t even believe what Michael did,” he tells me as we walk out of the room where my life finally came back to me.
CHAPTER 36
Chase
“Are you sure about this?” I put the car in park and look over at her. The minute we left the lawyer’s office, all she wanted to do was pass by and see if Penelope was okay.
“All I know is I have to see Penelope.” She puts her hand on the door handle. “If I see Monica’s parents, we’ll leave.”
“Okay,” I agree, getting out at the same time as her. I slip my hand into hers as we walk into the hospital. We walk to the elevator and I press the number four. “I’ll walk in front of you,” I say and she chuckles.
“What are you going to do, be my body shield?” She looks up at me.
“Yeah,” I say, bending to kiss her lips. Her eyes are still red from crying and so is her nose. The elevator pings and we take a step out.
I go on alert now as we walk closer to the room. “Wait here.” I tell Julia to stand outside the door. She leans against the wall as I walk over to the open door. Only when I get to the entrance of the door do I see Abigail. She is sitting on the bed with Penelope in her lap. She is reading a book to her and she looks up and asks her something. Abigail just smiles at her, nodding. I stick my head in and look around. “Hey,” I say and she looks up over at me smiling.
“Chase,” Abigail says. “Penelope, can you say hi, Chase?”
“Hi, Ace.” She waves her hand at me and I wave back.
“Are the grandparents here?” I look around seeing the room is very bare. It shows no one is spending the night with her. Usually, when kids are in the hospital, there is a cot brought in. There are food containers on the windowsills. There are changes of clothes everywhere. But this room looks like she just got here.
“They haven’t been here in four days,” Abigail shares. “I come after school and on my days off.” She looks down and smiles at Penelope. “She’s my favorite.”
I walk out into the hallway. “Come on.” I motion with my hand and Julia takes a couple of steps heading into the room. I stand at the door so I can keep an eye on the elevator.
“Mama,” Penelope says when she sees Julia, and it takes everything in her not to collapse.
“She’s not here,” Julia says when she gets closer to the bed, sitting down. Penelope sits up in Abigail’s lap and Julia bends to hug her.
“How is she doing?” Julia asks Abigail, who shrugs her shoulders.
“She’s getting better every day. It’s sucks she doesn’t have someone here with her all the time.” She looks down at Penelope, who is telling Julia to look at her book. “from what the nurses say is that her grandparents come in, make a stink for five minutes, and then leave.” Penelope points at a cup on the side of them. Abigail grabs it and takes a Goldfish cracker from it. “Thank you.” She holds it for Penelope who repeats, “Hank you.” She puts it in her mouth.